Why grads are unemployed

The number of jobless graduates in Malaysia has increased from 65,500 to 71,600 and finding a job seems to be a huge challenge. There are vacancies but many employers are increasingly hesitant to employ fresh graduates because of their poor attitude and high salary expectations. Another common complaint is that many graduates are not fluent in English.

 

These are some of the findings from a survey conducted by online recruitment agency Jobstreet.com.

 

"While previous surveys named poor English as the main cause for unemployment, bad attitude has now topped the list," said its COO, Suresh Thiru, explaining that attitudes were so bad that some did not even bother to inform the companies if they were running late or unable to attend scheduled interviews.

 

Another study by recruitment agency Kelly Services showed that fresh graduates asked for flexible working hours and expected their work to accommodate their personal life, not vice-versa. Its Marketing Director, Jeannie Khoo, said employers were also turned off by the lackadaisical attitude and lack of drive to improve among many of them.

 

"They have the misconception that they can earn high salaries at entry-level. They enter the banking industry expecting to earn RM3,000 when the market rate is only RM2,200 [for fresh graduates]," she said.

 

Talent Corp CEO Johan Mahmood Merican urged fresh graduates not to make demands on their salary. “It is more important to join a company that can develop your skills and prepare you for future opportunities," he advised. [Rufaidah]